Document Management

Discover how to securely store information with a document management system

It’s probably the question that first led you to OnBase by Hyland: What is document management and do I really need it? Well, considering that 60 per cent of an employee’s day is spent working, in one form or another, with records and documents, according to a report by consultant firm the Delphi Group, you can see how efficiently managing that information – physical and electronic – can determine the success or failure of any organisation.

“For an organisation to be in a healthy state, that information must continue to flow to the right people at the right time,” says Glenn Gibson, product marketing manager. “If it doesn’t, then bad things can happen.”

One of those bad things? Missing or lost documents. It’s a problem that already plagues many businesses.

According to Accenture, a management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, 59 per cent of 1,000 middle managers surveyed say they miss important information almost every day because it exists within the company but they cannot find it. And executives spend a statistical average of six weeks per year searching for lost documents, according to a survey of 2,600 executives by worldwide office supply leader, Esselte.

“Documents in your organisation can be literally all over the place,” says Gibson. Paper floating free in a filing cabinet, on someone’s desk or in an internal mail envelope. Electronic documents stored in one of many central servers, or on someone’s personal computer or in an email inbox. Just to name a few possibilities.

“The amount of time your business users take looking for documents is measurable,” Gibson says. “When you calculate the wasted time employees spend searching for documents and then multiply that by their salary, you will likely discover that your current processes are already costing you an incredible amount of money.”

Document management solutions to the rescue

By implementing a smart document management solution, you are consolidating all of your organisation’s core document-centric information into one place, stored electronically, which then makes it much easier for business users to find the documents they need, allowing your business to thrive.

Getting started is easy, according to Gibson. The solution doesn’t have to be enterprise-wide. In fact, it’s best to start with the department – HR, accounts payable – that needs the most help.

“This often yields much quicker results,” adds Gibson. “Once other business areas see results from that department, company-wide adoption won’t be far behind.”

In the end, everyone benefits in different ways.

“It’s kind of like asking the question, who in your family will benefit most from moving into a beautiful new house,” says Gibson. “When a document management system is in place, you’ll discover that your end users feel much more productive because they can forgo spending time on the mundane and frustrating task of searching for documents and information. They can just get their jobs done. On the other end of the spectrum, your stockholders will love it because your business will be more productive and more profitable.”

Once comfortable with its document management solution, and after realising the rewards a successful implementation creates, most companies start exploring a workflow solution.

“Workflow can take your solution to the next level by delivering documents right into the hands of the appropriate people in your business – nearly eliminating searching for documents at all,” says Gibson.